Technology is the key that everyone should have the copy of and understand how to unlock the future. -Padilha
Educational Technology in the teaching-learning environment is a critical tool for the success of the students of today and to their future. The implementation of technology within education opens vast opportunities in the student's future. In my classroom, 6th grade social studies, the big and overriding goal of Educational Technology is a key element of my Blended Learning classroom. The students learn digital skills that help prepare them for their future while learning the content of social studies. I personally feel that even in the 6th grade, students need the ability to collaborate, research, create, and reflect using technology which helps develop 21st century skills which might not be covered until the technology class rotation. Teaching social studies with a textbook is a dead concept as many resources can not be found in just one book, and as history is rewritten to reflect current events, it is hard to keep textbooks current. Naturally, using Educational Technology is beneficial for current events, maps, communication, and connections to different cultures. I have found value in implementing technologies use within my classroom by using the Blended Teaching Model. Educational Technology allows the teacher to become a facilitator within the walls of the classroom instead of being the traditional teacher-centered environment. The students are being directed to tools to find the answers verses a teacher-directed classroom where the teacher is giving the answers and the students are just writing down the information. Additionally, with the implementation of technology in the Blended Classroom, the teacher is free to develop rapport with small groups, target lessons, and improve facilitation in discussions of the content. Students gain more targeted assignments within their skills, instant feedback, and access to the world within the safety of the classroom and guidance of the teacher. Technology integration strategies can be described in two theory areas; the directed model and the constructivist strategies. Both bring solid facts and theories about how the use of technology integrations strategies promote the overall student’s success by using tech as a motivational tools. One looks at the drill-and-practice/tutorial material, and the other addresses the passive learners by helping them become active participants. Additionally, students find the motivation in using technology as it is not a repetitive task, but new ways to share simple concepts (Roblyer, 2013). The issues surround the successful implementation of Educational Technology is two in fold. One, the availability to enough resources. Currently the classroom should have a 2:1 Chromebook implementation, however, with increases seen in students per period, the current availability is almost as high as 3:1. What this means is that instead of 2 group rotations, students will need to do a 3 station rotation model to allow for all students equal time on the Chromebooks. Additionally, space in the classroom to easily allow for stations. Again, in the past, I could easily have 10 desks per station, but that was within a 30 student max classroom. Now, I am needing 1 to 2 more desks per station which increases the total seats up to 35. Space is useful to encourage the students to stay on task by not listening to the activities in the other groups. Finally, the largest hindrance in implementing Educational Technology is the issue that my students are under 13 years of age. Gathering the permission slips for students to have Google Apps for Education account, signing students into resources that require a parent email and still today, many parents do not have an email. Educational Technology is a critical resource in my classroom. I am aware of the issues preventing a smooth implementation of technology, and yet I am always pushing forward to use digital tools starting with the scanner to scan their paper artifacts and then reflect and share using a blog. Encouraging students to use tools like Google Docs to take notes and work together. I find it important to teach students how to access their grades online, email instructors with questions, and use sites like Quizlet.com, Grammarly, and Speakit to help in all content areas. I feel that by using technology, I’m helping to bridge the gaps from the old to new way of learning. It is important that students can learn how to work together in the classroom and online as today their future jobs will all require some level of technology.
Bibliography Roblyer, M. D. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching.
Educational Technology in the teaching-learning environment is a critical tool for the success of the students of today and to their future. The implementation of technology within education opens vast opportunities in the student's future. In my classroom, 6th grade social studies, the big and overriding goal of Educational Technology is a key element of my Blended Learning classroom. The students learn digital skills that help prepare them for their future while learning the content of social studies. I personally feel that even in the 6th grade, students need the ability to collaborate, research, create, and reflect using technology which helps develop 21st century skills which might not be covered until the technology class rotation.
Teaching social studies with a textbook is a dead concept as many resources can not be found in just one book, and as history is rewritten to reflect current events, it is hard to keep textbooks current. Naturally, using Educational Technology is beneficial for current events, maps, communication, and connections to different cultures. I have found value in implementing technologies use within my classroom by using the Blended Teaching Model. Educational Technology allows the teacher to become a facilitator within the walls of the classroom instead of being the traditional teacher-centered environment. The students are being directed to tools to find the answers verses a teacher-directed classroom where the teacher is giving the answers and the students are just writing down the information. Additionally, with the implementation of technology in the Blended Classroom, the teacher is free to develop rapport with small groups, target lessons, and improve facilitation in discussions of the content. Students gain more targeted assignments within their skills, instant feedback, and access to the world within the safety of the classroom and guidance of the teacher.
Technology integration strategies can be described in two theory areas; the directed model and the constructivist strategies. Both bring solid facts and theories about how the use of technology integrations strategies promote the overall student’s success by using tech as a motivational tools. One looks at the drill-and-practice/tutorial material, and the other addresses the passive learners by helping them become active participants. Additionally, students find the motivation in using technology as it is not a repetitive task, but new ways to share simple concepts (Roblyer, 2013).
The issues surround the successful implementation of Educational Technology is two in fold. One, the availability to enough resources. Currently the classroom should have a 2:1 Chromebook implementation, however, with increases seen in students per period, the current availability is almost as high as 3:1. What this means is that instead of 2 group rotations, students will need to do a 3 station rotation model to allow for all students equal time on the Chromebooks. Additionally, space in the classroom to easily allow for stations. Again, in the past, I could easily have 10 desks per station, but that was within a 30 student max classroom. Now, I am needing 1 to 2 more desks per station which increases the total seats up to 35. Space is useful to encourage the students to stay on task by not listening to the activities in the other groups. Finally, the largest hindrance in implementing Educational Technology is the issue that my students are under 13 years of age. Gathering the permission slips for students to have Google Apps for Education account, signing students into resources that require a parent email and still today, many parents do not have an email.
Educational Technology is a critical resource in my classroom. I am aware of the issues preventing a smooth implementation of technology, and yet I am always pushing forward to use digital tools starting with the scanner to scan their paper artifacts and then reflect and share using a blog. Encouraging students to use tools like Google Docs to take notes and work together. I find it important to teach students how to access their grades online, email instructors with questions, and use sites like Quizlet.com, Grammarly, and Speakit to help in all content areas. I feel that by using technology, I’m helping to bridge the gaps from the old to new way of learning. It is important that students can learn how to work together in the classroom and online as today their future jobs will all require some level of technology.
Bibliography
Roblyer, M. D. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching.